Small bomb found in Argentina ahead of Uribe visit

May 22, 2012|Reuters

BUENOS AIRES, May 22 (Reuters) - Argentine police on Tuesdaydefused an explosive device hidden in a theater where formerColombian President Alvaro Uribe was scheduled to speak the nextday, the investigating judge said.

Uribe, who cracked down on drug-running Marxist guerrillasas two-term president, was due to appear at a conference onWednesday at the Gran Rex theater in downtown Buenos Aires.

The low-intensity bomb would have been detonated at around 4p.m. local time on Wednesday, in the area of the theater whereUribe was due to attend a reception following his speech.

"It was a simple device but strong enough to cause the deathof people nearby," federal judge Norberto Oyarbide, who is incharge of the investigation, told reporters.

The theater was evacuated and surrounded by police while thebomb was deactivated and the building searched.

A hero to many for making Colombia's cities and highwayssafer during his 2002-2010 rule, Uribe is also criticized forhuman rights violations committed by state security forceswhile he was in power and for links that some of his politicalallies had with right-wing paramilitary outlaws.